When we talk about Woburn as a riding destination, what we're really referring to is the collection of trails and jumps in and around Aspley Woods, just southeast of Milton Keynes, on the Bedfordshire/Buckinghamshire border. Mountain bikes have been ridden here pretty much since the sport was conceived. And when dirt jumping grew in popularity in the mid-to-late '90s, Woburn became a top venue for airtime, too. Over the years, it's sometimes been a contentious place to ride, with locals having to work hard to secure its future. Pro riders including Matt Jones grew up riding here, with many others following a similar path. So, it's good to see that the XC trails and jumps have both been developed, waymarked and, hopefully secured, to give current riders a great venue to explore and allow future generations of mountain bikers to develop their skills.
Triple thrill
I turn up at Woburn Bike Park to meet the crew for the morning session. Tom Cardy, Kara Beal and Chris Smith are raring to go, and we head on into the park, where Chris and Tom immediately try to outdo each other in the skills area. Tom is clearly getting more air on the tabletops, but Chris then perfects a manual through the rollers to even things out.
We move on up to the transfer line in the freeride/ downhill area. It's a fun, flowy line, and we decide to grab a shot of Tom jumping over the trail with Kara in the berm. They nail it first time, although Kara gets too close and looks terrified - if she'd been much closer he'd have taken her head off! We move over to the Constipated Snail trail, where we don't encounter any snails, but do come across a triple line that provides another good photo op.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
Locals do...
Stick to the existing trails and give way to walkers and horses
この記事は Mountain Biking UK の July 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Mountain Biking UK の July 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
GRIME TIME - EXPERT WORKSHOP ADVICE
WHEELY ANNOYING
TRAILCREW HAFOD TRAILS
We discover the delights of Wales's newest bike park, located deep in beautiful Carmarthenshire
BIKETEST ULTIMATE HIRE BIKES
We test three park-cum-DH rigs - the kind of bikes available in holiday spots like Morzine and Whistler, as well as uplift venues closer to home
SCOTT GAMBLER 910 - £4,399 A bike park-ready budget beater worth taking a chance on
This latest iteration of Scott's long-standing Gambler launched in 2019.
THE MANY FACES OF MOUNTAIN BIKING
WE HIT THE ARIZONA DESERT AS PART OF A HUGE FEMALE-LED GROUP RIDE THAT PUTS THE FOCUS ON FUN AND FRIENDSHIP
PARIS HERE WE COME!
With the 2024 Olympics in France fast coming around, we take a quick dive into the history of mountain biking at the Games, plus explain what to expect, how to watch and who to keep an eye on this year
TRANSITION SPUR XO AXS - £7,999 Can the smallest of revisions keep Transition's downcountry demon at the top of the pile?
Transition's Spur has set the benchmark for downcountry bikes since its release in 2020.
MARIN ALPINE TRAIL E2 BOSCH - £6,385 Big-battery, high-powered e-MTB for gravity fans at a (relatively) affordable price
The Alpine Trail E Bosch is Marin's first e-MTB to use a four-bar linkage suspension design and a non-Shimano motor.
PINARELLO DOGMA XC - £12,000 Designed by and for Elite racers, with a ride feel to match
STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BOX & ONTO THE TRAILS
MBUK SUPER BIKE - #128 MATT WALKER'S SARACEN MYST
The British national downhill champ has a new ride for the 2024 race season